Hat with crown shaping and inclination means



HAT WITH CROWN SHAPING AND INCLINATION MEANS Filed April 18, 1967 P. G.GALLIN 2 Sheets-Sheet PAUL G GALUN ATTORNEYS.

HAT WITH CROWN SHAPING AND INCLINATION MEANS Filed April 18, 1967 P. G.GALLlN Oct. 21, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 2

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FIG. 3

INVENTOR PAUL G. GALLIN United States Patent 11.5. C]. 2-195 2 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hat of separable construction in which aremovable cover for a main frame assembly is maintained in a selectedshape and in a chosen form by a partially deformable rim shaping memberin cooperation with a front tab and a crown shaping panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionpertains to hats adapted for dis-assembly, the hats being generally ofthe type employed in uniforms and the like.

Description of the prior art It has heretofore been known to providehats wherein an internal shaping rim is frictionally engaged within acircular portion of a crown. Such prior shaping devices have includedannular wire or plastic loops. These prior art loops have been difficultto install without damage thereto, have been unduly sharp at their edgesthus creating an unnatural eifect in the asembled hat, and have been ofshort life and limited adjustability.

Additionally, many previously known crown shaping devices have beenpermanently afiixed, integral and necessary parts of a forward brim orpeak of the cap, and therefore unavailable in caps lacking in such brimsor peaks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a hat of theuniform or military variety wherein the crown shaping means isindependent of any other portion of the hat and thereby provides ashaping means adapted for employment in hats lacking in a peak or brimportion.

A basic objective of the invention concerns the provision of a hatshaping crown formed of a material of annular cross section and having adeformable portion held in place by the wearers head and positivelylocating the shaping member to avoid a dishevelled or non-uniformposition in use.

Still another objective concerns the provision of a shaping member whichis readily deformed for assembly or dis-assembly from the hat withoutdanger of damage to either the shaping member or the hat.

A further objective concerns the provision of a noncomplex component ofa hat adapted to incline the crown portion of the hat from front to rearand independent of a peak or brim portion of the hat.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing specification, when read in conjunction with the annexeddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a dis-assembledperspective view showing a hat constructed in accordance with theteachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, medial cross section of the assembled hat;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially Patented Oct. 21, 1969along the section line 33 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of thearrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to the forward portion of FIGURE2, but showing the positions of the components as the hat is worn.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings inmore detail, a hat constructed and assembled within the scope of theinvention is designated therein by reference numeral 10. A maincomponent of the hat is a sub-frame assembly 12 which includes anannular main frame 14 formed of any suitable hat frame material such asrigid fiber, cardboard, or the like. The main frame 14 includes an innerside 16 and an opposite outer side 18 which, as shown in FIG- URE 3,includes a top portion 20 and an opposite, bottom portion 22. The mainframe 14 has overlapped reinforcing sections about the top 20 and bottom22 thereof, the top reinforcing section 24 being secured thereabout bylines of stitching 26, or other suitable connection means, and thebottom overlapped reinforcing section 28 being secured in place bystitching 30. The bottom overlapped section 28 includes an outerpositioning ring 32 best shown in FIGURE 1 and serving as a limit stopfor the assembled components.

Secured about the inner side 16 of the main frame 14 by a line ofstitching 34 is an internal sweat band 36 formed of heavy fabric,leather, or the like. As shown in FIGURE 2, the sweat band 36 may haveventilation openings 38 formed therein and is free at its upper edge 40for a purpose described in more detail below.

The sub frame assembly 12 further includes a top inclination assembly 42comprising a generally rectangular front tab 44 formed of relativelyrigid material such as plastic, or the like, and having a top edge 46shaped to the approximate desired contour of the forward portion of theassembled hat and a base portion 48 ailixed to the outer side 18 of themain frame by an overlying, first afiixing panel 50 held in placethereon by staples 52 or other suitable fastening means. Connected tothe front tab 44 at a rebent forward portion 54, is a crown shapingpanel 56 having an enlarged central portion 58 and an extended andreverted rear portion 60 secured at its distal end 62 to the outer sideof the main frame by a second overlying afiixing panel 64 as shown inFIGURE 2. If desired, the section 58 may have a protective inner cover66. The angle of inclination of the crown shaping panel is selected bythe height of the front tab from the main frame 14.

It will be observed in FIGURE 2 that the crown shaping panel, adjacentthe point of connection with the main frame at its end 60 includes anacute bend portion which extends outwardly a substantial distance fromthe main frame. This extension of the acutely bent portion of theshaping panel functions to stretch the assembled crown portion of thehat and to ensure its correct alignment with the front portion of thehat.

A cover for the hat, formed of fabric or the like is designated in thedrawing by reference numeral 68 and includes a circular crown portion 70with a generally circular rim portion 72 merging with the crown at a rimedge 74. The rim portion has a depending, annular cover band 76 securedthereto which, as shown in the drawings, is adapted for positioningabout the main frame 14.

A connector band, preferably formed of an elastic or stretchablematerial and also of annular form is provided. The connector band 78fits over and frictionally engages against the cover band 76 to securethe cover 68 in place on the frame.

An important component of the invention comprises an annular cover rimshaping member shown per se in FIG- URE l and therein identified byreference numeral 80. The rim shaping member 80 is initially of annularform and is formed of a mesh, flexible and deformable material having aplastic memory adapted to return it to the annular form shown in phantomlines in FIGURE 1 upon release of pressure therefrom. In use, theshaping member 80 has a forward, downwardly bent, U-shaped portion 82which, as shown best in FIGURE 3, is normally aligned with the frontpanel 44 and is disposed between the inner side 16 of the main frame andthe sweat band 36.

In use, the portion 82 is compressed between the sweat band 36 and theframe 14 by pressure of the head H'of the wearer. This effectively holdsthe shaping member in place, while, at the same time, effectivelyshaping the rim portion of the hat. It will be observed that, by virtueof the semirigid form of the shaping member, damage to the hat iseffectively avoided. There are no sharp corners or edges to tear or cutthe rim of the hat, and the shaping member 80 is entirely independent ofthe remaining parts of the hat.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hat structure for wearing on the head of a wearer, the hatstructure being of the uniform variety, the structure comprising:

an annular sub-frame assembly including a main frame having an innerside and an outer side, a top and a bottom;

a sweat band connected to the inner side of the main frame about thebottom;

a sub-frame assembly including a top inclination assembly having a fronttab connected to the outer side of the main frame, a crown shaping panelsecured to the front tab and extending therefrom to the outer side ofthe main frame at a diametrically opposite position and connectedthereto;

the crown shaping panel including an acute bend portion extendingoutwardly of the main frame;

a cover having a crown portion with a generally circular rim portion,and having a depending cover band encircular rim portion, and having adepending cover band encircling the outer side of the main frame;

a connector band engaged about the cover band and the main frame; and

a resilient annular cover rim shaping member, said cover rim shapingmember being disposed within said rim portion of said cover and havingone portion engaged within said acute bend portion of said crown shapingpanel and a second portion disposed behind said front tab, said coverrim shaping member being of a circumferential length causing said secondportion thereof to deform downwardly behind said front tab while theremainder thereof yieldably biases said rim portion of said coveroutwardly to stiffen and hold the shape thereof.

2. The hat structure defined in claim 1, wherein said second portion ofthe cover rim shaping member extends downwardly between said main frameand said sweat band so as to be deformed therebetween by the wearershead.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 554,600 2/1896 Hirschberg.2,038,828 4/1936 Conley. 2,389,689 11/ 1945 Scheppler 2-195 2,393,2701/1946 Schlesinger 2 2,536,135 l/l951 Lev 2-l95 3,164,842 1/1965Weinstein 2195 FOREIGN PATENTS 121,810 8/ 1946 Australia.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner GEORGE H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner

